1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to printers and, more particularly, to a system with a security device separate from an ink tank in a printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A current approach with respect to security considerations in the case of off-carrier and on-carrier ink tanks for inkjet printer systems is to provide an integrated circuit (IC) as a security device and to fixedly attach it to the ink tanks, such as done in the prior art ink tank security system depicted in FIGS. 1-3. The security device of this prior art system sometimes provides a mechanism for preventing users from breaching the terms of a license or contract agreement with the product manufacturer.
However, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the approach of this prior art ink tank security system involves costly complications be undertaken for its implementation, arising from the fact that the security device is fixedly attached to the ink tank. One complication is the need for an IC connector to mate with the security device directly or via a printed circuit board (PCB) on which the security device resides. The use of such a connector has several tight tolerance constraints in design due to the fact that it must mate to the ink tank as it is loaded onto the printer. Typically, this security system will need to employ lengthy cabling to the security IC connectors. Another complication is the need to have the fixedly attached security device be removed from the ink tank and replaced when the ink tank is re-manufactured.
Thus, there is a need for an innovation providing the security desired while avoiding costly complications from fixedly attaching the security devices to the ink tanks.